A New York State Trooper was working a crash scene on I-190 in Tonawanda on the evening of July 1 when a drunk driver towing a dolly trailer came barreling through and set off a chain-reaction pile-up that sent the trooper diving over a concrete barrier to safety. It was the kind of moment that tends to reorder a person’s priorities in a hurry.
The trooper was standing outside his marked patrol vehicle with the emergency lights flashing — about as visible as a police car can possibly be — when 34-year-old James R. Phalen of Alden, New York, came through at 7:38 p.m. behind the wheel of a 2014 Dodge Ram hauling a dolly trailer. Phalen struck a 2007 Ford Focus, which in turn hit the parked police cruiser, which then slammed into a 2025 Dodge Charger that was already involved in the original crash the troopers had responded to. Four vehicles, one very bad decision.
The trooper made it over the concrete barrier in time and walked away without injuries, according to 7 News. That’s genuinely good news, because the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about. A flashing police car on the shoulder is supposed to be a signal to slow down and move over — not a target.
Phalen was uninjured and taken into custody on a DWI charge. He refused a chemical test at State Police in Buffalo, which is its own kind of answer. He was issued appearance tickets, and the investigation remains ongoing with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit both involved.
A Ram, a Trailer, and a Lot of Damage
The vehicle lineup here is worth noting. A 2014 Dodge Ram is a substantial truck under any circumstances. Add a dolly trailer to the equation and you’ve got a rig with serious mass and a long stopping distance — one that demands full attention and a clear head from whoever is driving it. Neither appeared to be present on this particular evening.
The crash took out a Ford Focus, a police cruiser, and a Dodge Charger in sequence. It’s the kind of multi-car pileup that investigators piece together from skid marks and impact angles afterward, asking how one set of poor choices managed to involve so many innocent bystanders so quickly.
Move Over Laws Exist for a Reason
Most U.S. states have Move Over laws requiring drivers to slow down and shift lanes when emergency vehicles are stopped on the shoulder with lights activated. New York has had one on the books since 2010, and violations carry real penalties.
The law exists precisely because troopers, firefighters, and paramedics working roadside scenes are in genuine danger every time a car comes through on autopilot — let alone one driven by someone who shouldn’t be behind the wheel at all.
What Happens Next
Phalen faces a DWI charge and refused a breathalyzer, which courts can treat as circumstantial evidence of impairment.
The investigation is continuing, so additional charges are possible. In the meantime, the trooper is fine, which under the circumstances counts as the best possible outcome from a situation that could have gone very differently.